1. SetImageSize is a must have add-on for Google Docs. Recently while planning together with Gail Moore we were discussing the hold outs for transitioning completely from Microsoft Office to Google. Even though we are both Google Certified Teachers there are still times we find ourselves pulling up Microsoft Word. The one thing that was a "bug-a-boo" for us is that we could not set the size of an image to EXACTLY what we wanted in Docs. Until now. SetImageSize is just we needed. Now you can set the image size by pixels and not have to worry about the drag handles.

2. Speaking of certified, our own Teresa Howell, math teacher at Monelison, has just earned her Google Trainer Certification. Last summer, Teresa, Gail and I all got our Level 2 Google Teacher Certifications. Teresa decided to go one step further to see if she could qualify for Trainer. She is the only one in this area!! Way to go, Teresa! We are so proud of you! If you are interested in working through any of the certifications, please reach out to Teresa, Gail, or myself. We will be more than happy to help!

3. Google Forms is a great way to post a daily warm-up. It is no secret by now that ACPS is hoping to move completely to Google. We even hope that one day our students will be 1-1 Chromebooks. That will take awhile but that is the dream. I read many blogs from teachers who are already 1-1 and I stumbled upon this great blog from Alice Keeler about how she posts a daily warm-up using Google Forms. She created one form that the students use daily and posts her questions on a Google Doc or Slide. Please check out her blog post for more details and I would love to help you with this!

4. This site has some great printable game boards that can be used for review. Can you believe that we only have about another month and a half for instruction? Starting in March we will be doing nine week benchmarks through April. Then comes Spring Break followed by SOLs in May. Many teachers are already planning review activities. Maybe a board game is just what the kids need? Try putting these into a Google Slide or Draw and students could play on an IPad or a Chromebook.

5. Friday at the Movies - Neesha Facebook has a series of short videos on their YouTube channel which are great story starters. Check out Neesha. This short vid shows a great deal about her life in India yet she isn't connected to the Internet. Perhaps your students could compose a list of questions they would like to know about after watching this. Perhaps they could write a diary journal after researching about something they see in the video. Older elementary and middle schoolers may want to create a fake Facebook page for Neesha. Or maybe a persuasive letter to Verizon or another internet company asking for them to provide service for Neesha. This would also be a wonderful Internet Safety review. She the video and then discuss what advice they would offer Neesha if she ever gets connected to the net.

YouTube is one of my favorite go-tos for instructional resources! Check out this sweet video.

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Melanie Lewis

Hi, my name is Melanie Lewis. I am an Instructional Technology Resource Teacher for Amherst County Public Schools, located in the beautiful state of Virginia. I LOVE my job! I get to work on my hobby, anything that has to do with computers. I get to work with teachers and students, and I am definitely a people person. Plus, I DO NOT have to give grades. Wonderful, huh? Let me know how I can help you better integrate technology into your classroom.